Archaeologia Adriatica, Vol. 2 No. 2, 2008.
Original scientific paper
Phoinike in the Hellenistic Period
Sandro De Maria
Abstract
Phoinike is a Chaonian city (the northern part of Epirus) known in ancient sources (particularly Polybius) as the rich main city of the alliance at the transition from the 3rd to the 2nd centuries BC. This important role is confirmed archaeologically, very well documented by the recent Italian-Albanian excavations (2000 – 2007), as a continuation of the excavations led by Luigi M. Ugolini (1926 – 1927). The city was probably formed in the second half of the 4th century BC in a gradual process, which was limited to the eastern part of the height on which it was founded, and later (3rd-2nd cent. BC) extended towards the west. One templum in antis, perhaps erected on the agora, and two Hellenistic phases of the theater (one of the largest in Epirus) confirm the importance of the public architecture, while two houses with a peristyle, located on the terraces of the southern slopes of the hill, display the character of private architecture. The urban system of a scenographic type on terraces, was adapted to the irregular nature of the land, according to the urban development tendencies of the Hellenistic period. Excavations at the necropolis offered significant confirmation of the social structure of the city, which was uniform. In the nearby region, various centers were noted and also confirmed intended for agricultural exploitation and a migratory type of stock-breeding.
Keywords
Phoinike; Epirus; Hellenistic period
Hrčak ID:
37208
URI
Publication date:
23.5.2009.
Visits: 2.088 *